Video edited by Kirk Colton
SALT LAKE CITY (ABC 4 News) – As Utahns reflect on the Year 2008, some memories are bittersweet, while others remind all of how short and fragile life can be.
The year began with the dedication of Utah’s newly renovated capitol building. The dedicatory prayer was offered by none other than LDS Church President Gordon B. Hinckley. Even then, he seemed a little more reserved and quiet than usual. Little did we know it would be his last public appearance, as he passed away a few weeks later. Heads of state, politicians and a long line of mourners and well-wishers lined up for Hinckley’s funeral. A short time later, Thomas S. Monson took over as president and prophet of the world-wide church based in Salt Lake City.
Controversy soon took over the headlines as West Jordan state senator Chris Buttars again made comments some found racist. Buttars, describing a bill on the Senate floor, said, "This baby is black…this is a dark, ugly thing." Buttars, who has been heavily scrutinized for other past comments somewhat connected with race defended his statement and said it was not racist in any way, despite, calls from civil rights leaders for his resignation. Buttars retained his seat in the Utah Senate in November.
Also in February, a magnitude 6.0 earthquake shook the small town of Wells, Nevada, 160 miles west of Salt Lake City. No one was seriously hurt, but several buildings and homes were all but destroyed or left condemned. The quake was a sobering reminder of how devastating such a disaster might be along the Wasatch Front.
In early March, the threat of domestic terrorism came to Utah, as a Las Vegas man with ties to the Wasatch Front was discovered with the deadly biological agent ricin in his hotel room. He nearly died from exposure to his own concoction, while the Riverton home of his cousin was searched by FBI agents. Thomas Tholen eventually pleaded guilty to failing to report his relative to authorities.
Not many people in Utah knew of a little refugee girl from Burma (Myanmar) by early April, but Hser Ner Moo would soon become a reminder of how fragile a young life can be. The 7-year-old girl went missing on April 1st, and despite a brief Amber Alert, with hundreds of volunteers and police officers scouring her South Salt Lake neighborhood, Moo could not be found until the next night, when police made the grim discovery of her body inside a neighbor’s apartment. Esar Met, also a Burmese refugee, is still awaiting trial for Moo’s sexual assault and murder.
In the spring, the raid of the FLDS compound in El Dorado, Texas brought more unwanted focus on Utah, the LDS Church, and the ongoing problems associated with polygamy. The raid was spurred by a false report made by a troubled woman in Colorado who claimed a teenage girl was being abused by her middle-aged polygamist husband. Even though the report turned out to be false, evidence seized by Texas authorities was reason enough to remove more than 400 children from the compound and place them in state custody. FLDS members fought back through legal action and appeals through the media to eventually get all their children back, even though a handful of them are still have ongoing welfare cases pending. The backlash from the raid includes more scrutiny for FLDS leader Warren Jeffs, who is awaiting trial for his involvement in the weddings of child brides, similar to his Utah conviction to rape as an accomplice in 2007. The FLDS raid also drew more world-wide association of polygamy to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, an image mainstream Mormons have been trying to shake for more than a century.
Utah saw its share of positive growth in 2008, with addition of UTA’s FrontRunner trains, Legacy Highway, and several innovative bridge replacements on freeways.
In the early summer, millionaire businessman and Utah Jazz owner Larry H. Miller suffered a heart attack that nearly took his life. It wasn’t until August that most Utahns learned of his ordeal, and that he would be stepping aside to let his son take over as head of his family business.
Another 7-year-old girl’s life would end tragically in July. As Maria Del Carmen Menchaca played in front of her Glendale home, the battle between two rival gangs spilled over, and she was shot and killed. Menchaca’s death sparked outrage over what seemed like a growing gang problem in Salt Lake City.
In July, a Utah County boy’s life would be torn apart by a homemade firework in Lehi. Bridger Hunt’s leg was nearly cut off and he went into a coma after the explosion meant to help celebrate Utah’s 24th of July holiday. After several surgeries and a long recovery, Hunt was able to leave the hospital, and along with help from several generous volunteers and donors, he was able to enjoy some of the comforts of a normal boyhood life. He still has a long recovery ahead of him.
In August, Utahns were reminded of 2007’s tragedy at the Crandall Canyon Mine, as a memorial was unveiled to honor the men who were killed in the collapse and subsequent rescue efforts.
Also in August, a raging wildfire frightened residents in Draper, as the Corner Canyon fire burned for several days.
A plane crash near Moab claimed the lives of ten people in late August as well. The victims all lived in Iron County, and shocked the Cedar City community.
As autumn arrived, so did the 2008 election season. As Barack Obama took the hotly contested and historical presidential contest, another contentious issue took the spotlight with California’s same-sex marriage ban that passed by a 4 per cent margin. The passage of Proposition 8 once again placed unwelcome scrutiny on the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, even though LDS members comprised less than three per cent of California’s population. LDS Church members, although small in number, took on a higher-than-normal profile in the battle over same-sex marriage, leading in fund-raising and campaign efforts. Many thought the church played too big of a role in passing the same-sex marriage ban. Others stood by the church, as being only a small member of a wide coalition of organizations in favor of Proposition 8. The involvement of the LDS Church brought several demonstrations from protest groups, vandalism at LDS chapels, and what some believe was a hoax threat sent in the form of a mysterious white powder at the Salt Lake and Los Angeles Temples.
One positive note ended the year (unless you’re a BYU fan) as the University of Utah Utes ended their regular season undefeated with a win over their rival Cougars. The win gave the Utes a berth in the BCS Sugar Bowl, and a chance to bring more college football prestige to Utah.
2008 also drew to a close with a host of financial uncertainty. The stock markets were a shadow of their former selves, several prestigious banking and corporate institutions failed, and big companies begged Congress for bailout money. Several Utahns lost their jobs as the recession became an economic reality.
ABC 4 wishes all Utahns a safe and bright future in 2009.
